The Thrill
by Dannyblue
Summary: Sequal to "Once Upon a Time". Cordelia vs. Angelus, round two. (Complete)
1. Default Chapter

**TITLE:** The Thrill (1/?)  
**AUTHOR:** Dannyblue  
**E-MAIL:**  
**SUMMARY:** Sequel to "Once Upon a Time".  
**SPOILERS:** Story takes place in season 2 of _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_, after Angel loses his soul.  
**RATING:** PG-13  
**CATEGORY:** Let's call it suspense, with a touch of humor.  
**PAIRING:** Angelus/Cordelia.  
**FEEDBACK:** Yes, please.  
**DISTRIBUTION:** Nothing Fancy, of course. Anybody else, all you have to do is ask.  
**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own _Angel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer._  
**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** I can't believe how long it's been since I've posted a fic. Well, I've been thinking about "Once Upon a Time" quite a bit lately, which is why the idea of a sequel popped into my head. I don't know what I did to make my muse happy...

This is a sequel to Once Upon a Time. You might want to read that one first, to get you up to speed. You can find it, here at, on my Author's Page.

**Part One**

She had never invited him in.

Angelus stood in the shadows of an old tree, where even the silvery moonlight couldn't touch him. Hands buried deep in the pockets of his coat, a frown crinkling his brow, he studied the Chase residence. No one who lived there had ever invited him in. And wasn't that rule inconvenient. Especially when he was in the mood to play.

Still, he'd been playing games like this one for decades. He knew how to get around the rules.

Lost in thought, the vampire was mildly startled when a car alarm went off somewhere nearby. Angelus's head snapped in that direction, an aggravated growl rumbling in his chest. And he wasn't the only one irritated by the noise. Soon, the sounds of dogs barking joined the cacophony, disturbing the peaceful quiet of the affluent neighborhood.

Sudden movement in an upper window of the Chase home caught his eye. Glancing up, he saw her. Cordelia was at her bedroom window, holding the curtains back just enough to glance outside. She was scowling in the direction of the alarm, just as he'd done seconds before, her frown making her look beautifully fierce.

Angelus smiled. With his keen, vampiric eyesight, he could see her clearly. She was dressed for bed, a surprisingly simple, white nightgown draping her body, clinging to every curve. Her dark hair was a cascade, falling haphazardly around her shoulders, as messy as she probably ever let it get. Her flawless skin, free of make-up, glowed in the moonlight.

Remembering the night they'd spent together a week ago, he could imagine her hazel eyes burning with angry fire as she glared towards the screaming alarm. The owner was just lucky she wasn't there to deliver it in person. The thought of that anonymous mortal withering under that glare of hers made him chuckle a little. He knew vampires who couldn't do—with all the threats, growls, and intimidation tactics in their arsenal—what this human girl could do with just a look. Not until they physically attacked, anyway. And those were the ones who would never have true power.

Finally, the car alarm stopped. A moment later, the dogs also quieted, only a few dissatisfied howls breaking the sudden stillness. And Cordelia nodded once, satisfied, but her lips still pursed in annoyance. Then, she looked down, her eyes doing a quick scan of the moonlit yard, a human instinct to check their surroundings for danger. Her eyes fell upon the shadows in which Angelus hid. And for a moment, a split second, it seemed like she was staring right at him.

Even as Angelus took a step back, just to make sure she couldn't see him there, he felt a thrill go through his body. For a moment, he let himself imagine she _could_ see him. Imagined her mouth falling open in shock, her eyes flying wide with panic. Imagined her face transforming with the sudden, terrible knowledge that she was his prey.

But her gaze quickly moved past his dark corner, her human eyes unable to see that deep into the shadows. Satisfied that all was as it should be outside her bedroom window, she left it, the curtains fluttering closed behind her.

Angelus watched for another half hour as her silhouette moved back and forth past the window. Even after the lights were extinguished, he still watched. Watched and let his anticipation build, a pleasant buzz that settled low in his stomach. That stoked his hunger like a fire, making it burn a little brighter, a little hotter, with each second that passed.

Tilting his head back, he let his eyes drift shut. Blocking out his surroundings—the occasional bark, the full moon hanging low in the sky, the tree leaves rustling overhead—he focused on the sensation, sinking into it, letting his skin tingle with it. And as it grew, filling him deeper and deeper, a smile curved his lips.

This was where the fun began. These moments when he considered all the possibilities, and the different pleasures each one could bring. Let them all play, like blissful dreams, through his imagination. And it was so hard to choose. It was like being a child on Christmas morning, surrounded by dozens of beautifully wrapped gifts, unable to decide which one to open first. Wanting so much to rip into each one, tear it to shreds to get to the prize inside. Hesitating, because the expectation felt so good.

But as much as he enjoyed the anticipation, sipping it slow like fine wine, he knew the real pleasure would come from bringing those dreams to life.

And becoming Cordelia Chase's nightmare.

* * *

Cordelia practically ran to her car. She hated being out after dark, especially when she was by herself. She'd planned to be out of the mall long before night fell. But there was a sale at one of her favorite boutiques, and she couldn't resist treating herself to a little shopping spree. Trying on clothes, being 'oohed' and 'awwed' over by the salesgirls. And, before she knew it, it was dark outside. 

Cordy cast a wary glance around the well-lit parking lot, relieved to see that she wasn't completely alone. The there were plenty of shoppers coming and going, who would hear her screams if there was trouble and, at the very least, glance in her direction to see what was going on. You were never safe going outside at night in Sunnydale. But bad things were less likely to happen to you if other people were around. Like human criminals, most demon baddies didn't like witnesses either.

When she finally reached her candy-apple red sports car, her anxiety dropped several degrees. Ever since finding out that some pretty nasty things went bump in the night, Cordy began to look at her car as a kind of armor. Armor that wasn't just a barrier between her and danger, but also a fast escape. Plus, she'd used it as a weapon once or twice against assorted vamps and demons. Because, no matter how big and scary they might be, nothing much stood a chance against several tons of sports car crashing into them at sixty-five miles per hour.

Juggling her shopping bags into one hand, she reached into her purse for the keys, having to search a little longer than she'd liked. (When would she learn to have her keys in her hand before she left wherever she was leaving? That was one of the top survival rules for the residents of Sunnydale.) As she cursed herself for not being prepared, she suddenly found herself wishing Xander was here. That happened a lot lately, thoughts of Xander popping into her head out of nowhere. She'd be brushing her teeth, or taking a test, or chatting with one of her friends, and would suddenly wonder—wistfully, which was truly embarrassing—what Xander was doing at that exact moment. Then, this montage of Xander-related memories—them kissing, them holding hands at the movies, them teasing each other—would flash through her mind.

She couldn't understand it. She'd thought she'd be over Xander by now. She'd lost interest in guys who were richer, cooler, and much better dressed way faster than this. But, rather than losing interest in Xander, she seemed to be getting more and more into him every day. And the way he'd been acting lately probably had something to do with that.

After she'd laid a heavy guilt trip on everyone she could think of for standing her up at the Bronze a week ago—where she'd run into Angelus, who could've taken that opportunity to do who knew what to her—Xander had been acting the part of the perfect boyfriend. Pulling out chairs, opening doors, helping her put on her coat. He even took her to dinner at an actual restaurant, instead of grabbing something to eat from the drive-through at Happy Burger. He'd been so sweet, so considerate, she lost all desire to rub in the guilt and make him feel like dirt after just a couple of days. Which was some kind of record for her.

Finally, she found the keys. Pulling them out with a little "ha!" of triumph, Cordelia pushed a button on the keychain, unlocking her car with a soft, squeaky 'beep-beep'. With a sigh of relief, she opened the door.

"Nice night."

Cordelia let out a startled shriek, and jumped a good two inches off the ground. Most of the shopping bags, which she didn't have a great hold on anyway, fell out of her hands. Her shoulder slammed into the open car door.

"Sorry about that," the voice continued, the words dripping with insincerity. "Didn't mean to scare you."

Cordy stood frozen, nerveless fingers clutching the one bag she hadn't dropped. Her heart thudded in her chest, so thick and hard, she could feel the pulse point at her neck throbbing. A shiver raced up her back, a current of electric fear that made her tremble.

Cordy looked into the dark, shadowed interior of her car with hungry eyes. She imagined diving inside, slamming the door shut. Imagined tires squealing as she sped away, leaving nothing behind but the smell of burnt rubber. And the stupid shopping bags, which were a symbol of how she'd gotten into this mess in the first place.

She would've tried if she thought she had half a chance of actually getting away. But she knew she didn't. That he wouldn't let her.

So, she took a deep breath, one that shook all the way down, so wasn't very calming. Her spine straightened with a snap as she held her head up. Wiping all traces of fear from her face, she turned.

Seeing him standing there, another shadow in the darkness, made her heart pound even harder. And, when she spoke, it was barely above a whisper.

"Angel."

**To Be Continued**


	2. Chapter 2

**Part Two**

For a moment, Cordelia's mind went blank, and it was as hard to think as it was to breathe. All she could do was stare at Angel, her mouth hanging open. And he stared back, watching her with those ice black eyes.

Feverishly, Cordy tried to get her brain working again. But the fact that he was really there didn't want to sink in. Not yet. After that night at the Bronze, she'd sort of figured that, well, she'd had her turn. Angel had treated everyone—Willow, Xander, and poor Giles—but her to one of his little mind games, then seemed to mostly forget about them afterwards. So, the other night was her turn. It was over and done with, and she'd figured she wouldn't have to go through something like that ever again. Another one-on-one confrontation had never even entered her mind.

Of course, the way her luck had been running lately, she should have known better.

As her brain accepted that, yes, she was about to relive one of the suckiest experiences of her life, she tried to remember the lessons she'd learned that night. That Angel fed on fear, and the worst thing she could do was give it to him. But suppressing that emotion was hard to do on the spur of the moment, especially when the inspiration for that fear was staring her in the face.

So, she focused on his 'cat that ate the canary' smirk. And it was enough to make a little anger spring to life inside her (because that smirk was guaranteed to piss anybody off). It was a weak anger, a frail, sputtering spark barely managing to stay lit as the storm of her panic swirled around it. But she held on to that spark, urging it to grow. Because it was all she had.

"What are you doing here?" she snapped, proud when her voice didn't shake even a little. She tried to imagine he was one of those annoying, desperate guys who sometimes latched on to her at the Bronze, like they actually thought they had half a chance. "Are you making a habit of skulking around parking lots now?"

Angel's smirk grew into a smile. A feral, nasty smile that didn't reassure her at all.

"Not really," he answered with a careless shrug. "Actually, I saw you as I was passing by, and just had to stop and say 'hi'."

He took a quick, sudden step forward. And, with a startled gasp, Cordelia took a quick step back.

* * *

Angelus grinned. There it was! The scent of her fear danced on the air between them, tickled his nose with its heady perfume. He breathed deep, and could taste its sweetness on his tongue.

And her heart. It was racing, fluttering in her chest like a beautiful, frightened bird beating its delicate wings against a cage. And every beat, every flutter, was like a whisper close to his ear.

Cordelia had stepped back so quickly, she slammed into her car. Her hip banged against the edge of the open doorway, her elbow hit the rear passenger window. Quickly, she regained her balance, standing upright once again. And the glare she turned on him was filled with irritation.

Angelus merely smiled, letting her see how unrepentant he was. As her irritation grew, the scent of her anger mixed with her fear, made it richer and deeper.

"Again, what are you doing here?" Cordelia demanded, obviously trying to regain her composure. "Don't you have a nice, blond Slayer to stalk? Or are you afraid you'd get your ass kicked…again?"

Angelus let the sharp words wash over him like warm honey. She really did have a mouth on her, didn't she? Listening to her talk, you'd never know how scared she was. Even here, inches away from him, she was trying to fight her fear, to bury it too deep for him to see.

Only, he wasn't going to let her. Not this time.

Pulling his hands out of his pockets, Angelus glanced down at the packages scattered at her feet. "Looks like you dropped your stuff. Let me help you with that." And, without further warning, he knelt down.

* * *

At Angel's unexpected motion, Cordelia barely resisted the urge to yelp in startled surprise. Instead, she tried to back away, to put some distance between them so his face wouldn't be _that_ close to her knees. But there was nowhere for her to go. Not with the cold metal of her car pressing into her back, the open door blocking one side, and his kneeling form blocking the other. Instead, she was left in the uncomfortable position of looking down at him as he picked up her bags. As he moved, arms stretching to pick up the packages, his hair would brush feather soft against her knee, against her thigh. His fingers would brush, 'accidentally,' against her calf. It took all the control she had not to shriek every time some part of him touched her. Not to dance in place, hopping from foot to foot. Because, lord help her, it felt like there were spiders crawling up and down her legs. And she hated spiders.

From now on, Cordy swore, she'd wear longer skirts. Or pants. Pants were good.

Finally, Angel rose to his feet. And he came up standing way inside her personal bubble, much closer than he'd been before. So close, he blocked out the glow of the security lights, casting her in his shadow.

"Here we are," he said as he held out the bags, a satisfied smirk curving his lips. And, if she'd had any doubts about how 'accidental' those touches had been, they were swept away by that smirk.

For a moment, Cordy couldn't say anything. She was too busy trying to breathe. And trying not to lose her temper. At the moment, there was nothing she wanted more than to slap that smirk right off of his face. In fact, she had to ball her hands into fists to keep from doing something she'd regret.

Angel just stood there, watching the expressions cross her face like it was the best show in town. And waiting patiently.

"Thank you," Cordy managed to say through gritted teeth.

"Don't mention it," he said, with a modest bow of his head.

Rolling her eyes, Cordy reached for her bags.

"No," he said, holding them just out of her reach. "Allow me." And he moved towards the car, so close, his large, powerful body brushed against her entire right side.

Heart leaping into her throat—again!—Cordy all but skipped out of his way, shivering as goose bumps sprang up on her arms.

She stood behind him, watching him carelessly toss her bags into the back seat. With his back turned, his attention somewhere else, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to run away. To turn and just run, screaming, towards the mall. Only, she'd bet he knew exactly what she was thinking. That, the first step she took to get away, he'd be on her.

And why did vampires have to be so fast anyway? Did somebody think they didn't have enough advantages, with the super strength and razor sharp teeth, or what?

Looking around the parking lot, the fact that there were other people around didn't seem as reassuring anymore. If she shouted for help, anyone who tried to come to her rescue would probably go from Good Samaritan to corpse in five seconds flat. And she probably wouldn't be far behind on the corpse part.

His arms now free of bags, Angel turned back to face her. Eyebrows raised, he held out his hand.

Cordy stared at it like it was a snake, ready to bite. "What?" she asked.

"Uh, the keys," he said, like it was obvious.

And, even though she had a dark suspicion what he meant, she asked, "And you want my keys why?"

"I know I let you drive last time," he said, shrugging. "But I usually don't like to go anywhere in a car unless I'm in the driver's seat."

"Go anywhere?" Cordy asked, because she really didn't like where this was going.

With an impatient sigh, Angel snatched the keys out of her hand. Then, he moved, with catlike grace, to stand behind her. "In you go," he said, sounding polite, almost cheerful. Placing his hand at the small of her back, he gave her a little push.

Cordy took a stumbling step forward, then stopped dead in her tracks. With wide eyes, she stared at the gift she'd begged for for over a year. Suddenly, her car—which, moments ago, equaled armor, escape, safety—looked like nothing more than a trap. An expensive, candy-apple red trap.

Unconsciously, she lifted her head, eyed the scattering of shoppers scurrying to and fro. Her mouth dropped open as she had second thoughts about screaming. Maybe…

"I don't think you really want to do that," Angel said, his voice dangerous and dark. And close. She could feel his cool breath on the back of her neck. A shiver raced up her spine, made her scalp tingle.

"Get in," he said, sounding neither cheerful nor polite. The hand returned to the small of her back. While it didn't push this time, there was the slightest pressure, urging her forward.

Cordelia snapped her mouth shut, swallowed so hard it actually made her throat hurt. Then, taking a deep breath, she got into the car.

Of course, she had to climb over the gearshift to get to the passenger seat, which she tried to do with some kind of grace. Then, she felt Angel's 'helpful' hands on her naked legs, and grace was abandoned in favor of speed. As she flopped (there was no other word for it, damn it!) into the seat, she glared at the source of all of her problems. Well, current problems.

Seemingly unaware of her glare of death, Angel climbed in behind her. Settling into the driver's seat of _her_ car like he belonged there, he slammed the door shut. As on edge as she was, it was no surprise she jumped a mile high.

As the situation she was in began to sink in—to _really_ sink in—Cordelia felt her old pal panic trying to bubble to the surface. Really, she was seconds away from dissolving into a puddle of hysteria, and wouldn't he just love that.

To put it off for a little while, she snapped, "So, you mind telling me where we're going?"

"For a drive," he said, as he started the car. Smiling, he glanced in her direction. "Buckle up."

Huffily, Cordy pulled the seatbelt across her chest. As she snapped it into place, she imagined a cage door slamming shut.

To Be Cont.


	3. Chapter 3

**Part Three**

Angelus relaxed into the driver's seat, hands wrapped comfortably around the steering wheel. He'd always liked driving, especially a nice car like this one. The speed, the roar of the engine, the control. The only thing missing was some tunes. But, if he turned on the radio, he wouldn't be able to focus on that delicious heartbeat.

Smiling, he stared at the back of his passenger's head. At the moment, Cordelia was staring out the window, pretending really hard to ignore him. Which was fine, because he knew it was a lie. Besides, he was finding just sitting next to her surprisingly entertaining.

The closed confines of the car magnified her scent, made it richer, stronger. There was her perfume, one of those fruity concoctions that seemed to be popular now days: peach and melon, with just a hint of—he took a deep breath—vanilla underneath. And there was the bitter sweetness of her fear, fading in and out as she struggled to get it under control. And the spicy warmth of her anger, so potent he could almost feel the heat of it pouring off of her skin.

It was like a song, each emotion with its own note, its own scent, blending together to make a perfect melody. The heady aroma was one any vampire with the brains to appreciate such things would have a hard time not getting lost in.

For a moment, Angelus considered pulling her towards him, burying his face against her neck, maybe taking a little nip. Just imagining how she would taste—spicy, and bitter, and sweet—made his mouth water.

But, no. That would be going to fast. And he was in the mood to take things slow.

He settled for reaching out to brush the backs his fingers against the left side of her neck, a touch so soft and fleeting, it was barely there.

Cordelia's shoulder hunched as she made a soft sound of annoyance. Reaching up, she scratched the side of her neck, pushing her hair back because she probably thought it was responsible for that soft, ticklish touch.

Grinning, Angelus put his hand back on the steering wheel, and turned his attention back to the road.

* * *

Wide, hazel eyes watched the world speed by the passenger window. They were driving down a tree-lined, residential street, the car darting in and out of the pools of streetlamp light like they were playing Hide 'N' Seek. And the moon was playing too. Looking up, she caught the occasional glimpse of through the tree branches.

For Cordelia, the entire scene felt surreal. The houses. The street. The car. It was like a vivid dream. It all _seemed_ real, but there was this fuzzy haze around the edges to let you know it really wasn't.

Cordelia sat ramrod straight in her seat, arms crossed in a defensive posture. Her knee jiggled up and down, a nervous gesture she couldn't seem to stop. Every so often, she'd wish they'd have a nice, non-lethal-to-mere-mortals crash which would keep them from getting to wherever he was taking her. And she was trying really hard not to think about that. Nope, she didn't want to think about the 'where' or the 'why' or the 'what happens when we get there' right now.

"Relax, Cordelia," she heard Angel drawl. "Why don't you just sit back and enjoy the ride?"

"Yeah, right." The chances of her relaxing with a homicidal vampire playing chauffer were exactly zero. And, of course, he knew that. Playing the part of the nice, harmless companion, when they both knew he was anything but, was his perverse sense of humor at work.

"Do you have to drive so fast?" she demanded, knee still jiggling. "There's a speed limit, you know."

Angel grinned. "What can I say? I have a need for speed."

Cordy barely resisted the urge to groan. However, she did roll her eyes at the deliberate lameness.

Silence fell in the car. The minutes ticked by, each one feeling like an hour. Cordy almost reached out to turn on the radio, just to fill the stillness, but found she didn't want to unfold her arms. She knew, intellectually, that she wasn't any safer sitting pressed against the door, her shoulders hunched defensively. But her primal, animal brain was telling her to roll up into a little ball, making less of her body vulnerable to the wild animal's attack.

"You know, that's really distracting," Angel said suddenly. And, before she could ask what the hell he was talking about, a large, cold hand came to rest on her jiggling knee.

Cordelia didn't think, she just reacted. Arms unfolding in a flash, she shoved his hand out of her lap. "Don't do that!"

"Hey, I'm sorry," Angel said, holding his hand up in apology. His smirk was plain to see in the soft, blue glow from the dashboard. "I didn't mean anything by it, really."

Closing her eyes, Cordy took a slow, deep breath. Calm. She had to stay calm.

"Besides," Angel continued. "I'd think you'd be used to guys trying to grope you in the front seats of cars. Or the back seats." He shrugged. "Whichever."

Cordelia let out a bark of laughter that even she didn't expect. "Oh, come on. If that's the best you've got…"

"Hardly," Angel interrupted. He turned to look at her, half of his face cast in shadow, somehow managing to look demonic even without the vamp face. "In fact, I'm just getting started."

And Cordelia gulped, turning to stare out the window. It wasn't that she forgot he was a monster, because she had a brain. It was more like there were moments when he seemed like an even bigger monster, which was truly terrifying. And, this time, there was nothing to keep him in check, no club full of witnesses that might make him reluctant to give in to whatever impulse his psychotic mind thought up. It was just him and her and…

Why hadn't she cut her shopping spree short? It wasn't like she needed another pair of shoes in that particular style. Although, these were in a shade that was almost impossible to find. Still, she'd give every great pair of pumps—and, okay, boots too—she owned _not_ to be in this car right now.

"By the way," Angel asked pleasantly, like they were talking about the weather. "How did the gang react when they found out about our night together?"

Cordelia cringed inside. He made it sound like they'd been on a date. Or, worse, like they'd had a one night stand or something. "You can put a perverted little twist on anything, can't ya?"

"Guy's gotta have a hobby. You were saying."

Cordy sighed. "They reacted the way you'd expect them to react. There was guilt, and apologizing, and groveling. Giles started stuttering, and Willow was inches away from offering to wear a hair shirt in penance." And she had to admit she'd enjoyed it. For a while. Then, she started to feel bad for making _them_ feel bad, which so wasn't like her.

"What about the runt?"

"Xander is _not_ a runt," Cordy said defensively.

"Yet, you knew exactly who I was talking about," Angel pointed out cheerfully.

Teeth clenched, Cordy mentally counted to ten.

"I bet he's been the perfect boyfriend all week," Angel continued. "Throwing his coat over puddles for you to walk on. Offering to slay dragons in your name. Maybe serenading you from beneath your bedroom window." He paused thoughtfully. "It must be nice to have his full attention for a change."

Cordy didn't comment, mostly because he'd come way too close to the truth. No, Xander hadn't done any of the stuff Angel described, but he'd come pretty close. And, while Cordy had been enjoying it, she was a little bitter that it took her being menaced by a brutal killer for an evening to bring out her boyfriend's gallant side.

"Although, to be honest, I don't understand what you see in the boy. I mean, we both know you're way out of his league. And you don't seem like the type who likes slumming it."

"Yeah, well, there's more to Xander than meets the eye," Cordelia said.

"Well, there has to be," Angel chuckled. "But I guess you have to spend a lot of, um, quality time with him in order to know what that is. And we were just never that close."

Cordy snorted in mild disgust. "You just can't help yourself, can you?" she asked. "Always looking for that dirty twist. What's next? Limericks? Naughty knock-knock jokes? Maybe…"

"You know, Xander reminds me of a boy I once knew," Angel interrupted, as if he hadn't heard a word she'd said. His expression was thoughtful, his gaze distant, turned to some old memory. "Same coloring, same basic build, same excuse for a sense of humor. Dressed like he hopped out of bed every morning and threw on the first thing he laid his hands on." Once again, he turned to her, giving her a look that was sharp and intense. "He lasted for almost four days."

Cordy's eyes widened of their own volition. The shivers she'd been holding off all this time shook her to the core, a body quake that left every muscle tense. It wasn't just what he said, and all the images it conjured up in her mind

_Four days!_

it was the casual, matter-of fact way he'd said it. Like he was talking about some wonderful dream he'd had and hadn't wanted to wake up from.

And she was alone with him, with no idea where she was being taken.

With a knowing smile, Angel turned his attention back to the road. "Like I said, sit back and enjoy the ride. We're almost there."

To Be Cont.


	4. Chapter 4

**Part Four**

"Here we are," Angel said as he cut the engine. Turning, he watched her expectantly. "What do you think?"

Cordelia studied their surroundings, already shaking her head as her lips twisted into a sneer. She'd never been in this exact spot before, but she'd definitely been to others like it. A moonlit clearing. Surrounded by just enough trees to hide them from any other cars parked nearby. It was actually a pretty nice place…for a make-out spot.

"You have got to be kidding me," Cordy snapped.

"What?" Angel asked innocently. "You don't like it?"

Right elbow resting on the door, Cordelia pressed her fingertips to her temple. She was beginning to understand how he thought a little (which was really scary) so the fact that he'd picked this spot actually made sense. Bringing her here was kinda funny, slightly perverse, a lot obnoxious, with the slight taint of creepiness underneath it all. It was more subtle than a puppy nailed to a wall, but no less effective. Because, as the seconds ticked by, she started to simmer. No, to burn. She could feel the heat of anger crawling up her neck, and had no doubt her face had flushed bright red.

"You are unbelievable," she finally ground out through clenched teeth. "I don't know what's going through that sick, twisted, psycho brain of yours, but if you think for one minute your evil dead hands, or lips, or anything _else_ are coming anywhere _near_ me…"

"You talk to your mother with that mouth?" Angel interrupted, looking more amused than insulted. Taking the keys from the ignition, he opened the door and stepped out of the car.

"Now, wait a minute…" Cordy began, only to be cut off again when the door slammed shut in her face. Not to be deterred, she ripped off her seatbelt, grabbed the door handle…and almost fell out of the car when the door was wrenched open from the outside.

Geez! She kept forgetting how _fast_ he was.

Smiling pleasantly, Angel held his hand out to her.

"Oh, you are out of your mind," she said, glaring at said hand. "Which I already knew, but you're obviously even more insane than I…"

"You know, Cordelia," Angel began, voice as calm and casual as ever. But something dark slithered, velvet soft, underneath. "I'm actually in a pretty good mood tonight. And you really don't want anything to make me lose my good mood." He leaned down a bit, onyx eyes gleaming in the moonlight. "Do you?"

And the fear surged up, wrestling with her anger for space. The swirl of conflicting emotions actually made her dizzy for a second. Like she was on a twisty, annoying roller coaster. Up, down, up, down. No wonder she was starting to feel nauseous.

Knowing she had little choice in the matter, she placed her hand in his larger, colder one. Her entire body chose that moment to tremble all the way down to the bones. And she knew he felt it, because his smiled widened.

She wasn't prepared when, with a sudden burst of strength, he gave her arm a yank. Cordy yelped as she found herself propelled out of the car, so fast she tripped over her own feet. She slammed into his body so hard, the wind was knocked out of her with an audible _whoosh_.

For a second, Cordy was too stunned to move. For one long, heart-stopping second, her breasts were pressed against his chest. The next second, she pushed away from him. Or tried to. For one long moment, they engaged in a little wrestling match that verged on the ridiculous. She got one arm free, and he grabbed the other. She got both arms free only to find he'd latched on to her waist. Apparently, he thought this was hilarious, because he started to laugh.

"Oh, for crap's sake," she finally exclaimed, yanking out of his grasp. Stumbling away from him, she treated him to her fiercest glare.

Angel merely smiled and shut the door.

* * *

Turning to lean against the car, arms folded across his chest, Angelus watched her. She looked mad enough to spit nails. The pulse in her neck was throbbing, beating a tantalizing rhythm.

He wondered if she even realized she was inching away from him, every mincing step widening the gap the tiniest bit. She was the prey, about to take flight. And, for a moment, he hoped she _would_ run. That she'd finally lose control and be overtaken by her fear. That he could chase her through the trees, let his hunger and need take over. Let the beast run free.

But no. Not yet. For now, he had other things in mind.

* * *

Cordelia's nerves were coiled tighter than a spring. So, when Angel said, "Come here," she jumped as hard as her heart did. For a moment she froze up, like a deer caught in headlights. Or a rabbit that had just seen the big bad wolf staring back at it.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked, voicing the question she'd had since this whole ordeal started. Was he going to kill her, finishing what he'd started last week? Was he going to vamp her? Or something even worse? Just what the hell was he playing at? "And don't tell me you did all this just to drive my car."

"Hey, a guy will do a lot for a good ride," Angel drawled. Pushing away from the car, he covered the short distance between them.

Cordelia almost ran. Her leg muscles actually twitched with the desire to move. A tiny, optimistic voice whispered that she had a chance. That she might actually be able to get away. But she knew the truth, and that kept her standing there, waiting for him.

"You know, the moonlight really becomes you," Angel said. Head tilted to the side, he studied her like she was a statue or something. "Anybody ever tell you that?"

"I don't know," Cordelia said. Really, who knew? She'd received a lot of compliments over the years. Some were sincere. Others she wrote off as bull, delivered by someone who wanted something from her. "Probably."

Angel shrugged. "No surprise there. I bet the boys have been trying to sweet-talk you for years." One cold hand encircled her upper arm.

"Don't!" Cordy snapped, smacking it away.

Striking with the speed of a snake, he grabbed both of her arms, jerking her forward.

"Ow!" she winced, trying in vain to pull away. His grip was so tight, she could already feel the bruises forming. "Let go!"

"If that's what you want," he said, his voice cold and amused. Suddenly, he spun her around, making her world tilt sideways. Then he pushed her away from him. And she flew back, slamming into the car with a strangled cry. Pain shot through her body, and it was pure stubbornness that kept her from sliding down to the ground.

Her heart was thundering now, so hard she could barely hear herself think. This was it. Finally, after toying with her the way a cat plays with a mouse, he'd decided it was time to chow down. And she was scared. She couldn't remember ever being quite this scared. But she was also pissed. Pissed that she was about to die because she couldn't resist a sale. Pissed that she didn't have any freaky fighter mojo, so she could kick his ass at least a little. Pissed that her back hurt so much, she couldn't even stand up straight. Instead, she was kinda half hunched over, which probably made her look like she was cowering before him, like so many of his other victims. It just wasn't fricken fair!

When he grabbed her again, his body pushing hers into the car, and the chill of him seemed to sink into her. At that moment, a part of her wanted to start yelling and pleading, begging him not to kill her. But she refused to give him the satisfaction, to give him reason to gloat over how the weak little human had panicked there at the end.

Instead, she glared into his eyes, letting him see her anger, her repulsion. Hands balled into fists, she waited for his true face to emerge, waited to feel his razor-sharp fangs sink into her neck.

And that's when he kissed her.

It was so _not_ what she'd expected, her brain didn't really get what was happening at first. Eyes wide and confused, she stared at nothing as her mind struggled to catch up. Even when his tongue pushed past her lips and into her mouth, stroking languorously against hers, she still didn't really get it. Only when her lungs started to strain for air—because, in her shock, she'd stopped breathing—did her neurons start firing. That's when she started fighting, fists beating ineffectually against his chest, trying to pull her mouth away from his, despite the hand fisted in her hair to hold her in place.

Suddenly, she felt a sharp, slicing pain in her bottom lip. Crying out in pain, Cordy struggled harder.

Angel abruptly released her and took a step back.

For a long moment, Cordy was too stunned to do anything. Then she realized her bottom lip was throbbing. That something warm and salty-sweet was filling her mouth.

Hand shaking, Cordy reached up to touch her mouth. Pulling her hand away, she stared at it, entranced. Her fingers were wet, stained with blood that seemed almost black in the moonlight.

Eyes wide with horror, she looked up at the man—the _thing_—responsible. Angel was watching her, smiling, his eyes filled with eagerness as he waited to see how she'd react to his 'surprise'. The same wet blackness stained his lips, and she cringed when she saw him slowly lick it away.

"Mmmm," he sighed, almost purred. "Not bad."

And, suddenly, it was all too much. Emotions—fear, and anger, and even shame—swirling inside her like a hurricane, Cordelia swung as hard as she could. Her palm slammed into his cheek, whipping his head to the side. The sound of the slap echoed through the clearing like a gunshot. And was enough to snap Cordy out of her homicidal rage.

Holding her breath, she pressed back against the car. Nervously, she wiped her stinging palm against her skirt. And waited.

Hours seemed to pass before Angel moved. When he finally turned to face her, she expected him to be in full vamp face, snarling ferociously. But he wasn't. He still wore his human mask. And he was…smiling.

Reaching up, he massaged the cheek she'd slapped. "Not bad at all," he said.

As the certainty of her imminent death drained away, so did most of her energy. Everything she'd gone through since she left the mall, all the tension and anxiety, hit her like a heavy wave. She imagined this was what it was like to crash from a really big high. Like you just wanted to lie down and sleep for days.

Leaning tiredly against the car, because her legs didn't seem to want to hold her up anymore, she wiped at the blood trickling down her chin. "You are one sick son of a bitch."

"So I've been told," Angel agreed. With a flourish, like he was performing some magic trick, he held up her car keys. "Here."

Cordy didn't even have the energy to wonder what he was playing at this time, to care that he might snatch them away as soon as she reached for him. Taking a deep, tired breath, she just took the keys out of his hand.

"Just one more thing," Angel said. Resting one hand against the roof of the car, he effectively hemmed her in. "I don't think you should tell your friends about tonight. I mean, it was fine after last time. But, this time, I'm not in the mood to share."

"Yeah, whatever," Cordy said, staring down at the keys, at the blood drying on her hand. She was sure there was an unspoken threat in there somewhere, but decided to worry about it later. Right now, she just wanted to go home and rinse the blood, and the memory of that kiss, out of her mouth.

She barely flinched when he took her chin between his thumb and forefinger, lifted her head so he could look into her eyes. "Catch you later," he promised. Then, releasing her, he simply turned and walked away, disappearing into the shadows.

Cordy just stood there for a long time. She couldn't seem to feel anything. All the fear, all the anger, was just gone. Dispassionately, she wondered if she was in some kind of shock, then decided she probably was. She figured she'd have a marvelous break down eventually. But, for now, she just wanted to get out of here.

Slowly, she walked around the hood of the car. As she fell into the driver's seat, she felt a twinge of panic, like a needle stabbing her in the heart. It was so strong, so overwhelming, she gasped out loud.

"No," she said, ruthlessly pushing the panic back down. "Fall apart later. Drive now."

With a determined nod, she started the car.

From the darkness, Angelus watched the sporty red car drive away.

That was…fun. Better than he thought it would be. In fact, everything was better than he'd thought it would be. The kiss. The taste of her blood. And she'd slapped him, which he hadn't expected. Well, not really. He'd seen the desire to do it in her eyes, but he'd thought her fear would keep her from following through. But he was fast realizing it wasn't smart to underestimate Cordelia Chase.

Smiling almost fondly, Angelus walked towards the main road. A part of him was reliving their encounter; replaying, in detail, the more pleasurable moments of the evening.

Another part of him was already thinking about the next time.

**THE END**


End file.
